GB Sevens' Shekells in England Women's Six Nations squad

Women's Six Nations

England v Italy

Venue: LNER Community Stadium, York Date: Sunday, 23 March Kick-off: 15:00 GMT

Coverage: Live connected BBC Two, BBC Radio and BBC Sport website and app

England caput manager John Mitchell has included GB Sevens subordinate Jade Shekells successful his Women's Six Nations squad earlier their opener against Italy connected Sunday.

The 2024 Paris Olympian, who precocious played for GB successful the Vancouver limb of the World Sevens Series successful February, is uncapped successful the XVs code.

Shekells is 1 of 4 players who mightiness marque their Red Roses debut successful York, including Ealing's Abi Burton, Leicester's Charlotte Fray and Exeter's Flo Robinson.

Notable absences from the 37-woman squad are Harlequins hooker Connie Powell and Bristol helping Millie David.

The squad volition beryllium led for the archetypal clip by caller skipper Zoe Aldcroft, who helped Gloucester-Hartpury triumph the Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) rubric for the 3rd clip successful a enactment connected Sunday.

Shekells has impressed successful a fistful of games for Gloucester-Hartpury astatine extracurricular centre this play but has moved successful and retired of the Great Britain Sevens set-up. It is understood England are looking astatine her arsenic a 12.

Wing Mia Venner is included aft an fantabulous season, culminating successful an awesome outing with nine broadside Gloucester-Hartpury successful the PWR final.

Venner is present successful the premix for 1 of the astir unfastened enactment battles earlier the Rugby World Cup successful August.

The helping contention includes the comeback of Claudia MacDonald astatine Exeter, the instrumentality from wounded of Jess Breach, Abby Dow's expected instrumentality from a manus wounded and present Venner.

Harlequins hooker Connie Powell volition not beryllium capable to adhd to her 19 caps arsenic she is overtaken successful the pecking bid by Saracens' May Campbell.

Despite Saracens losing the PWR final, Campbell has had a stellar play astatine nine level would person been near-impossible to permission retired of the squad.

She has besides proven her versatility with a fig of appearances successful the backmost row.

England are reigning Women's Six Nations champions and are aiming to triumph a seventh rubric successful a row.

Forwards

Zoe Aldcroft (capt) (Gloucester-Hartpury), Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears), Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury) Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears) Hannah Botterman (Bristol Bears) Georgia Brock (Gloucester-Hartpury) Abi Burton (Trailfinders Women), May Campbell (Saracens), Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury), Kelsey Clifford (Saracens), Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers), Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs), Charlotte Fray (Leicester Tigers), Rosie Galligan (Saracens), Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning), Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning), Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury), Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), Marlie Packer (Saracens), Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks), Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears)

Backs

Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears), Jess Breach (Saracens), Abby Dow (Trailfinders Women), Zoe Harrison (Saracens), Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury), Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury), Megan Jones (Leicester Tigers), Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins), Claudia MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Lucy Packer (Harlequins), Flo Robinson (Exeter Chiefs), Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning), Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning), Jade Shekells (Gloucester-Hartpury), Emma Sing (Gloucester-Hartpury), Mia Venner (Gloucester-Hartpury)